Manager of the T&T team Colin Borde has credited Keiron Pollard's professional stint to his increased maturity as a player. Pollard scored a 19-ball half century on Saturday night to lead T&T to victory over the Leeward Islands in their Regional T20 clash in Barbados. He struck seven sixes and a four in his knock that left fans at the picturesque venue spellbound.
Borde said yesterday: "We have noticed a big change in Keiron. Obviously his stints in Australia, England and India have helped him tremendously and he has really matured as a player. I find for his age, being just 23 he has matured very quickly and we are expecting a lot more from him. Against the Leewards he was superb, brutal, clinical and professional. This is as a result of playing with the top T20 teams and with the top T20 players from around the world."
Meanwhile, turning his attention to the rest of his team Borde said they were sternly tested against the Leewards but came through. "We were sternly tested by the Leewards but the guys showed the requisite character to win. This team likes to win and knows how to win," he said. Looking ahead at the rest of the tournament Borde said: "We are confident that we can return as champions of T20 cricket in the Caribbean and we are taking it one game at a time and giving it our best.
"In T20 cricket you need to think quickly and change things rapidly. This is the key and we have some very intelligent players out there, who can do that and hence we have been successful." The T&T players had a three-hour session at the Queen's Park Oval yesterday and today they will show up at the National Cricket Centre for another three-hour session from 2 pm to 5 pm. Tomorrow they come up against Jamaica in the final preliminary round match at the Queen's Park Oval from 8 pm.
